


Father's Day

by Hara



Category: Unter Uns
Genre: Family, M/M, coming-out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-07 14:27:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14673021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hara/pseuds/Hara
Summary: Easy's father comes to visit... and there's a little thing he doesn't know about his son. This little thing is kinda complicated, madly in love with Easy and above all: a man.English version of "Vatertag".





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> https://redlyriumraven.tumblr.com/
> 
> My written English is kinda rusty, so please tell me about any mistakes! :)

Michael Winter wasn‘t on bad terms with his son. On the contrary, they actually got along very well. But still it wouldn‘t be right to say they were particularly close. Answering Paco‘s question about that a couple of years ago Easy had said that he loved his father, he just wasn‘t really a part of his life.

Every few months they called each other. Easy talked about his photography and the kiosk, about Tobias and Malte, about that car accident which had almost killed him and his relationships. Michael talked about his job at a mail order company, about his vacations at Lake Constance and about the soccer games he visited with his friends. Those were nice talks, although they might be kinda shallow. They told each other the stories of their lives but never talked about the emotions behind those stories. Easy shared neither his greatest happiness nor his deepest hurt and pain with his father. And that was alright. He was always happy to hear from Michael but when he didn‘t he never missed anything either. And even though there was nothing connecting them in their everyday lives, Easy knew he could rely on his father.

Thus it was, as always, a nice surprise when unexpectedly and in the middle of the day in the kiosk his phone rang and he read his father‘s name on the display.  
Glad to talk to him again he answered the phone.  
„Ingo, hi! How are you?“  
Easy smiled. He probably was better than he‘d ever been before. He felt like he was bursting with happiness about him and Ringo being finally, finally together. But that wasn‘t the kind of conversation he had with his father.  
„I‘m fine“, he said instead „What about you? Are you alright?“  
„I can‘t complain. Everything‘s the way it should be.“ Maybe that described their father-son relationship pretty good. Nothing was great, nothing was bad, it was just the way it should be.  
„But there‘s something else“, Michael continued „I have an appointment in Cologne on Friday and I was thinking, we haven‘t seen each other in a while now. What would you say if I stayed for the weekend and visited you?“  
Easy thought for a moment. On Saturday he had to work in the kiosk for a couple of hours but except that he‘d the weekend off – and even if he didn‘t, he hadn‘t seen his father for so long, he would just make time to see him.  
„Sure, that‘d be great!“, he said „text me as soon as you know when you‘ll arrive. I‘ll get something for dinner.“  
„Good, I look forward to it. See you on Friday Ingo!“  
„See you Michael!“

Smiling Easy hung up and just wanted to leave the kiosk to continue working – when he saw his boyfriend standing in the doorway. He just stood there, smiling his Ringo-smile.  
„Should I be jealous?“, he asked in a playful voice that carried just a trace of his mocking arrogance, which Easy knew to be some kind of self-protection for Ringo „or who is this Michael who seems to make you so happy on the phone?“  
Easy laughed and went over to his boyfriend to kiss him. „Don‘t worry“, he said, smiling softly after they broke their kiss „no one is as perfect for me as you are.“ For a moment there was just the two of them again. For they were so in love and so happy to be together, they felt like this bliss pushed the air out of their lungs.

Finally Easy spoke again. „But seriously: Michael is my father.“  
Ringo raised an eyebrow. „You call your father by his first name?“  
Easy shrugged. He‘d never thought about it. When he really got to know his father he‘d almost been an adult. During his childhood there had only been this almost stranger whom his mother didn‘t want to talk about. Later Easy learned that his father had left them and never looked after his son because he spent most of his childhood committing crimes and being in prison. When they finally grew closer he didn‘t even think about calling Michael „dad“. That somehow just didn‘t fit their history together.

„He‘ll be in Cologne for the weekend to visit me“, Easy eventually said instead of answering.  
„Oh OK, will I get to know him?“, Ringo asked and absendmindedly took some sweets out of the box on the counter. Half worried, half amused he added: „are we at the point in a relationship, where I‘m introduced to parents? That has never happened before, so be warned! Although“, he grinned „I‘m actually the perfect son-in-law.“  
Easy laughed. „The perfect son in law, right!“

But suddenly he realized something. He hadn‘t thought about it, because it was so normal to him and the people in his life by now – but his father didn‘t know about Easy being in a relationship with Ringo, a man. He didn‘t know about Easy being gay.  
It wasn‘t like he‘d kept it a secret on purpose. It‘d just never come up. When they talked on the phone the last time Easy had already been out in front of his friends for a while and other matters were important to him. So they‘d talked about the fire in the kiosk and Easy‘s ongoing bad luck. Michael had voiced his concern for his son‘s health and they‘d talked about his possible job-related future. It hadn‘t occured to Easy to tell his father about his newly discovered sexual orientation… but now he realized he needed to do exacly that. And he felt himself grow scared about it.

To come out to his friends had been hard even though he had been sure they wouldn‘t have an issue with it. His father was a differend matter. He had no idea how Michael would react to his son being gay. He didn‘t even know if his father was homophobic or what was his overall opinion of homosexuality. They had never talked about it.  
„Hey, what is it?“, Ringo pulled him out of his thoughts. Worried he looked at his boyfriend.

„Well“, Easy said slowly „he doesn‘t know I‘m gay… and with you.“ He swallowed hard „that‘s going to be an interesting weekend!“


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://redlyriumraven.tumblr.com/

The days till Friday quickly went by and Easy grew more and more nervous. He talked to Ringo about his Coming-Out to his parents for a long time but their situations weren‘t comparable.  
„My parents were never the problem“, Ringo shrugged „essentially I always knew me being into men wouldn‘t be an issue for them. The reason I didn‘t tell them was because I myself had an issue with it.“  
„So how did you tell them?“, Easy asked.  
Ringo laughed at the memory. „I didn‘t“, he answered „my father caught me in bed with Yannick. After that it was kinda clear to them.“  
This made Easy laugh too. „I like that! We should do this with my father too! I‘ll just get you into my bed and as soon as he enters the room...“  
Ringo grimaced. „I think I‘ll pass. I‘d appreciate it if my butt wasn‘t the first thing your father saw of me. After all I‘m not Tobias.“

In hope for advice Easy eventually called Finn but he couldn‘t help him either. „At first my parents couldn‘t handle it at all“ he sighed „I was sixteen and I was really scared my father would kick me out. Over time they got used to it – wether they wanted it or not they couldn‘t change the way I am. But Easy, I know many people whose parents were totally supportive from the start!“

Likewise, it didn‘t help Easy when he asked Tobias what he thought to be Michael‘s reaction.  
„I have to come out to my father this weekend“, he started the conversation.  
Tobias raised an eyebrow. „You want to tell him you‘re a vegetarian? Wow… Easy, I‘m not sure he can take that.“  
„Haha“, Easy murmured pointedly unamused „Tobias, I‘m serious. I have no idea how he might react. You know him too! Do you have any idea?“  
Tobias plunked down on the sofa next to his best friend. „Honestly, I have no clue. I mean, you‘re important to him and he seems to be a decent guy. But I believe it‘s still possible it‘ll take an ugly turn.“  
„Mm“ Easy sighed. He‘d had the hope for anyone to offer him any useful advice but apparently he didn‘t have another choice than to wait and see – and hope for the best.  
„At least“, Tobias interrupted his thoughts „he will like Ringo.“  
Easy gave him a questioning look.  
„I mean, they‘re both criminals. So they have something in common they can talk about… Hey Easy“, he added grinning „could it be that you‘re into men who are like your father?“  
„Just you wait!“  
Easy threw a sofa cushion at his best friend, who giggling took flight into his room.

~*~

Finally it was Friday afternoon and Easy got the message he‘d been waiting for, for hours:  
„I‘ll be at your place around seven.“

So he ordered pizza, cleaned up the living room again, cuddled Stinker – and when he had nothing left do to he walked around the apartment thinking about what to say in the conversation with his father.

Around half past six he heard a knock at the door. Easy felt his chest tighten in a not-so-pleasant way. So now it was happening. He took a deep breath, tore the door open and – was face to face with Ringo. Relieved he breathed out.  
„Hey!“, Ringo said softly, while stepping into the living room and closing the door behind himself „I wanted to be here sooner but Huber kept me at work forever. I thought you might need some support before your big talk later.“ He smirked at the last sentence but Easy knew Ringo well enough by then to understand that his concern for his boyfriend was honest and he wanted to be there for him.  
Wordlessly he hugged Ringo. He felt his boyfriend wrapping his arms around him and let himself be held like that for a while. Instantly the tension left his body and mind and he felt himself calm down.  
It was kinda strange really, that Ringo „I-only-care-about-myself“ Beckmann, Ringo „who-needs-feelings-when-you-can-have-money“ Beckmann, that Ringo of all people just needed to take him in his arms and Easy felt so loved and secure like never before.  
„I‘ll stay awake until I hear from you“, Ringo murmured „if he reacts in a bad way and you need me I‘ll be there. Just come over, OK?“  
Easy moved slightly away from him and looked at him fondly. „Thank you“, he said quietly „and if he doesn‘t...“  
„If he doesn‘t react in a bad way I‘ll have dinner with you and your father tomorrow, like I promised.“

Ringo kissed him fondly. And in that moment they heard the doorbell.


	3. Chapter 3

Ringo took Easy‘s hand in his and looked him in the eyes. „You can do this“, he said softly. Easy nodded, squeezed Ringo‘s hand on last time and then let go of it and walked to the door.

He opened the door and this time it was really his father standing in the hallway. Before either of the men had the time to say anything, Stinker jumped off the sofa barking excitedly and ran past Easy to greet the unknown visitor.

„Well, who are you?“ With a friendly smile Michael crouched down and petted Stinker, who wagged his tail, seeming quite happy about the new acquaintance.

„This is Stinker, Tobias‘s dog“, Easy answered his father‘s question. He felt the tension return. Being close to Ringo had chased his worry about coming out away for a moment but now it came back and he was glad that Stinker was at the center of attention – at least for the moment.

„Hello Stinker!“, Michael said to the dog and added in Easy‘s direction: „Such a fine animal!“ Easy watched his father warily. Michael looked very much the same he had when he had seen him last, about two years ago. It seemed like he had greyed fifteen years ago and hadn‘t aged since. He was a sporty man and at first appearance seemed healthy for his age, but the already white hair and the worry lines that had dug deeply into his forehead told a different story. The years in prison had left marks. And maybe his guilty conscience had too? Suddenly Easy wondered if Michael regretted leaving his wife and son so many years ago. They had never talked about it.

Michael smiled at him and stood up again. „It‘s good to see you, Ingo“, he said and pulled his son into a brief hug.

Easy swallowed hard and forced himself to smile. It wasn‘t like he wasn‘t happy to see his father again. On the contrary! He didn‘t have much family left and it was good to see the little he still had after all this time. But his worry and tension about the upcoming conversation was stronger. He cleared his throat. „Come in!“

„OK, I‘m leaving now“, Easy heard Ringo‘s voice behind himself. He turned to face his boyfriend and searched for secureness in his eyes. Ringo gave him a barely visible nod, like the one he‘d given him when Easy was coming out to his friends. Then he went to the door, subtly stroking Easy‘s arm while walking by, greeted Michael friendly – and was out of the apartment. And Easy was alone with his father.

Michael apparently hadn‘t noticed the tense atmosphere or the glances between the two young men. „A friend of yours?“, he asked and pointed to the door, Ringo just closed behind him.

„Um...“, Easy murmured „something like that...“ _Not my friend, my boyfriend_ , he wished he could say. _My boyfriend, the man I love. He‘s pretty amazing and I‘d love to introduce him to you._ But it wasn‘t that easy, he knew as much. And he felt the anxiety flow through him again. But why couldn‘t it be easy? Why did something that made him so damn happy have to be so hard for anyone? It just wasn‘t fair. Having to come out, the fear connected to it, the danger of being rejected because of it – nothing about it was fair. But unfortunately life did seldom care about fairness.

Stinker seemed to sense Easy‘s tension. He whimpered and looked up at Easy with his loyal eyes. In this moment Easy was very much glad to have Stinker with him. He knew he had to do this alone, come out to his father all by himself – but with Stinker being here he didn‘t feel completely alone after all.

„Do sit down“, he said in Michael‘s direction „the pizza should be delivered any second.“

„Great!“ Michael looked around the living room „you have it nice here! Is Tobias home too?“ „No, he‘s out tonight.“ They chatted about unimportant stuff, had the same kind of conversation they used to have on the phone now in Easy‘s living room.

Eventually the pizza was delivered – and Michael started to notice that something wasn‘t right.

„Aren‘t you hungry?“, he asked after a while „I ate almost my entire pizza and you hardly touched yours?“ he looked at Easy‘s pizza in confusion „why did you even order a pizzy with vegetables? Are you on some sort of special diet or something?“ „Um no, I‘m a vegetarian“, Easy murmured absend-mindedly.

Michael laughed. „Vegetarian? Well OK… If that‘s all!“

Easy closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply. _If that‘s all_ , he heard his father‘s words echo in his head. He had prolonged it for the whole dinner, he couldn‘t wait any longer. He just had to say it now.

„Actually“, he began „there is something I need to talk to you about. Or rather“ he swallowed again „something I need to tell you.“ Michael looked up from his pizza and faced Easy. He seemed to have noticed his son‘s serious tone of voice and seemingly waited for him to continue. He frowned. Easy recognized attention in his eyes, concern and worry. He felt his heart beat against his chest unpleasantly. _Say it now, now!_ , his brain yelled. He felt himself clenching his fists below the table. One last time he closed his eyes for a second. Finally he opened them again and looked directly at his father. Then he said it at last.

„I‘m gay.“


End file.
